


In The Aftermath

by Into_darkness18



Series: Stargate Mini-Fics [2]
Category: Stargate Universe
Genre: Aliens, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Destiny, F/M, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Off-World, Polyamorous Character, Silence, Threesome - F/M/M, ancient knowlege, fixing the ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 17:33:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16999485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Into_darkness18/pseuds/Into_darkness18
Summary: in the Aftermath of the 3 years out of stasis, Eli survives, encounters the Ancients who built Destiny, battles mental health issues and falls in love**set post-season 2





	In The Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own stargate universe or its characters. i can totally see these three together yo. If you are just gonna post hateful comments, please leave because you are an a-hole and are not welcome here

Eli Wallace was having a really bad day.

After spending the last three years alone on a spaceship while all his friends were in stasis, he wasn't used to all the people who kept coming up to him. His mind had adjusted to the dark, cold spaceship, only to sound of engine hum and his MP-3 player to keep him sane. Eli found that in the three years, his survival was thanks to the Ancients. They'd found him almost dead 10 days after everyone went into stasis, and they fixed up some key systems of the ship. When Eli woke to find a man standing over him in the observation deck, his eyes widened almost dramatically. Eli hadn't been expecting to wake up, the life support had been set to turn off hours ago so he figured if he was asleep it would be painless.

"It's alright, Eli Wallace. My name is Jacob, I am an ancient." Jacob - an ancient and wow Eli was freaking out - introduced himself.

"Awesome. But wha... I thought the Ancients didn't get involved with the affairs of humans. Some rule about interference if i remember correctly." Eli had asked and Jacob had merely chuckled in response.

"We came because Destiny needs you, Mr Wallace. And we also wish you to join us when your time on this plain is over."

"Why me?"

"You are one of a kind, Mr Wallace. Which is why I have men fixing certain areas of the ship. Not enough to make a large difference, but enough to increase your chances of survival once you make it to the next galaxy." Jacob had taken a seat next to Eli on the bench which sat in the observation deck, watching the ship travel in FTL.

"Well that's nice, I guess." Eli had mumbled, nodding his head.

"The high council has asked me also to give you any knowledge you should need if you have to fix anything on the ship." Eli had snapped his head up in shock. "But I am sorry to tell you that the stasis pod is damaged beyond repair."

"I already knew that much." Eli conceded, nodding his head. "Thank you."

 

  
That had been three years ago, and Eli had spent the rest of that time alone, meditating and using the guide Jacob had left him in order to reach that state of mind so when he is ready, so that he may ascend to the next plain. It had taken some adjustment, his body not being used to doing nothing for long periods of time but eventually he figured it out. Eli had woken Colonel Young when they dropped out of FTL exactly 3 years and 4 days since he'd stepped into the stasis pod, just like he'd promised.

"Eli?" Young mumbled, squinting his eyes at the blurry figure in front of him.

"Hey Colonel." Eli waved almost sheepishly and Young laughed happily, bringing the now 25 year old into a strong hug. Eli returned the hug, though he ended it quickly as panic appeared in his chest. He felt deeply uncomfortable being touched but if the colonel noticed he didn't mention it.

"Uh, how did you survive?" Young asked.

"It's a long story that I'd rather not talk about if that's alright." Eli shifted uncomfortably and the Colonel nodded.

"Alright. Wake TJ, Greer and Scott, get them to bring everyone to the observation deck." Eli nodded, darting off to the next row, ignoring the curious and worried look the Colonel was sending him. Obviously he had noticed Eli's unease.

 

 

An hour later everybody was standing on the observation deck, talking quietly as they noticed the solar system that was out the window. Colonel Young walked into the room, bringing everyone's attention away from the planets and to him.

"It appears we have been in stasis for 3 years and 4 days. Now I know a lot of you are anxious to see loved ones back on earth, but right now it's important that we collect as much food and water as possible." Murmurs of agreement sounded through the hall. "Another thing you should know that Eli Wallace survived the trip out of stasis." A few gasps were heard, but nobody said anything as the Colonel continued. Not a lot of people knew Eli had stayed out, but they had a right to know. "As of right now I am unaware of where he is, but I suggest we don't overwhelm him. He's been through a lot. That's all."

 

Eli was sitting in a darker area of the ship, one he'd found through the kino feed some weeks into his stay alone on the ship. It was some distance from the area his team inhabited, but it certainly helped remove the overwhelmed feeling from his chest of being around so many people. He sat with his back to a wall, which had a heater attached to it which kept him warm during his long meditation periods. He's found being warm during his meditation made it easier to concentrate. His radio crackled, breaking the silence as Doctor Rush's voice came through the device.

" _Eli, I could use your help in the control room_." Eli sighed, not opening his eyes as he picked up his radio and spoke into it in clear annoyance.

"This better be important."

_"Eli, i'm pretty sure you're going to want to see this._ " Rush cut the conversation short, and Eli growled low in his throat as he pushed himself up from his seat and made his way to the control room.

"What do you want me to see?" Eli asked, moving over to the console Rush was standing at. He scanned over the data on the screen. "I don't understand."

"Eli, none of this was there before we made the jump. Look, the water filtration system is working 100%, life support and weapons as well, it doesn't make sense."

"Yes it does." Eli nodded his head. He thought back to what Jacob had told him just before he left, that some of his team had fixed up several key systems before making sure he understood how the systems worked before telling him;

'Do not share your knowledge with them, but if you have to tell them of the repairs we made, tell them you made them. They can never know we were there.'

"How?" Rush's exasperation gained the attention of Adam Brody, who was doing his own work. Brody noticed the tense posture of Eli, to the angry look on Rush' face from the cryptic answers Eli was giving.

"I fixed them." Eli gritted out, turning on his heel and darting out of the room as his face flushed in what Brody assumed to be anger. Both Brody and Rush stared after Eli in shock before Rush was chasing after him.

"Eli, what do you mean you fixed them?" Rush shouted after him.

"Exactly what I said." Eli called back, stopping in a hall that had 3 junctions and turned to face Rush. "Look, I had three fucking years to study these systems, I found a way to fix the water system so we would have fresh drinking water. I updated the FTL drive as well as fixed the life support system so it was running at 100% unlike before. I know everything there could be to know about this ship Rush! Now stop bugging me, just talking to you is making my skin crawl. And it's not just you! Nobody is leaving me be, everybody has something to complain about and it's always me that has to fix it and I'm beginning to feel anxious!" Eli's breathing had sped up, but all Rush and Brody could do is stare in horror as Eli freaked out, or as Rush quickly identified as an anxiety attack.

"Eli!" Chloe Armstrong and Matthew Scott rounded the corner, Matt quickly grabbing onto Eli as his shallow breaths became gasps. Rush and Brody both backed away a lot, leaving the Lieutenant and Chloe to help Eli. Eli grabbed Matt's forearm, his other hand on his shoulder as he attempted to calm down without much success.

"Eli you have to breathe." Chloe soothed, standing next to Matt who had one arm gripping Eli's upper arm and the other on his shoulder. Eli took a deep breath, holding it before letting it out. He did this several more times before he was able to breath properly again. Eli looked at Matt, nodding his head in thanks.

"You alright?" Matt asked, taking a moment to inspect his friend whom he hadn't seen since they'd woken from stasis 7 days ago. He appeared to have lost a bit of weight, his clothes hung from his frame limply even though it appeared he'd filled out a bit, his arms and legs holding more muscle than before. His hair was choppy, uncut properly and his eyes had dark bags under them. "When was the last time you ate? Hell, when was the last time you slept?" Eli tried to think back, but wasn't able to remember.

"I'm not sure." He admitted sheepishly. "I've been alone for so long I guess I just forgot how to sleep. It got dark and it was far to quiet. I mostly took to exploring other areas of the ship then I'd sleep for about 5 hours." Chloe and Matt exchanged a worried glance.

"A night?"

"A week." As if on cue, Eli let out a yawn, almost stumbling if it weren't for Matt holding him up as a wave of exhaustion fell over him.

"Alright. Come on." Matthew manoeuvred him so Eli's arm was wrapped around his neck and Matt's arm was around Eli's waist. Chloe did the same on his other side.

"Where are you guys taking me?" Eli asked tiredly, his head falling forward.

"You can sleep in our room." Chloe said and Eli looked at her.

"Why?" He asked drowsily and she shrugged.

"You said so yourself. It get's quiet at night, far too unsettling. And if you can't sleep anymore, then the least we can do is help our best friend rest properly." By now they had reached Chloe and Matt's shared room. Matt opened the door, and lead Eli in the room. Chloe helped sit Eli on the bed and helped lay him down. Eli almost passed out as soon as his head hit the bed, Chloe pulling the comforter over him.

"I'm going to talk to Colonel Young." Matt whispered in a hushed voice, kissing Chloe on the head before leaving, closing the door behind him. Chloe brushed the hair away from his face, a frown etched on her face in worry for her best friend. Eli shifted himself so he was lying on his side facing Chloe, who had taken up sitting with her back against the side of the bed.

 

 

  
When Matt had left the room, he wasted no time heading straight for Colonel Young's room, ignoring several people who had attempted to ask him about Eli. It became clear to Matt that most of the people who had heard Eli's breakdown had told others and now the whole ship knew.

"Colonel?" Matt knocked on the door, and opened the door when he heard the Colonel tell him to come in. "I was hoping we could talk." Young nodded his head, motioning for Matt to close the door and sit down.

"What is it Matt?"

"Sir, it's about Eli." Young furrowed his brows, looking at Matt curiously.

"What about him?"

"Sir, he completely flipped out at Rush an hour ago. Just started freaking out before he had an anxiety attack. From what he told us he suffered from them a lot after his dad left, said the stress would get to him occasionally." Matt said and Young looked at him wide eyed. "Chloe managed to calm him down, but Sir, I don't think he's doing very well."

"What makes you say that?" Young asked curiously.

"Well for starters the freak out he had in the hall. He can't remember the last time he'd slept or eaten and god forbid, he appears to be loosing weight." Young frowned. "Chloe and I took him back to our room, he babbled on about not being able to sleep so Chloe suggested he stay in there. He passed out before we even got him into the bed, sir."

"Speak to TJ." Young finally decided after a moment of thought. "I'm sure she has something for the anxiety you say he's feeling?"

"Yes sir. He said his skin crawled whenever there was too many people in one place."

"As for the eating and sleeping, I assume you and Chloe are going to watch out for that." Matt nodded his head.

"Yes sir. There was something else I wanted to ask, I think it would benefit Eli If he went on the next re-supply mission." Young nodded his head in agreement before dismissing him.

"Night Matt."

"Night Colonel."

 

 

When Matt got back to his shared room with Chloe after taking a detour to the infirmary to get Eli something for the anxiety he felt he wasn't surprised to find Chloe sat on the bed next to Eli, reading a book quietly as he slept soundly. Matt crouched at the edge of the bed and watching his girlfriend's best friend sleep, a frown pulled across his face made evident by the furrowed eyebrows and the way Eli subconsciously gripped at the bed.

"He's alright Matt." Chloe said quietly, not looking up from her journal. Matt sighed, nodding.

"I know."

 

 

  
Eli was startled out of his meditative state several days later by a loud clanging and multiple people swearing loudly. After he woke up to an empty room after staying in Chloe and Matt's room, Eli felt much better in the sense that he wasn't tired anymore.

He'd left quickly and spent the next few days avoiding the crew, heading to the observation deck where he sat down in front of the bench and just watched the ship travel through a solar system. Eli turned around with an amused look as he saw Scott and Greer looking with almost identical sheepish looks on their faces. Eli rolled his eyes with a grin, waiting for the two soldiers to pick up their guns that they'd dropped on the floor.

"What can I help you with today?" Eli asked. Behind him, Matt exchanged a look with Greer before speaking.

"The survey team just got back. The planet is inhabitable, fresh water and food. TJ thinks there might be some medicinal stuff there also." Eli hummed in response.

"Why you telling me?"

"Colonel Young wants you on the team going back to the planet." Eli whipped his head around, his eyes wide in shock and slight fear. "And it's not a request." Greer put the BDU's down on the bench, along with a holster and a handgun.

"Gear up man." Greer grinned almost wolfishly, and Eli blinked. "We leave in an hour."

 

 

  
Eli stood in the gateroom, the gate dialling. He stared at the shaking gate, worry seeping into his mind. He couldn't shake the thought of something bad happening, especially after the explosion that had happened a few months prior to the rest of the crew waking up from stasis. Eli had his sleeves rolled up this time and he was hyper aware of the look Colonel Young was sending him as he re-adjusted the bandages that wrap around his forearms, from his wrist to elbows before he quickly rolled them down, covering the bandaging and buttoning them at the wrist. The gate opened and Eli flinched slightly, barely noticeable but definitely there.

"Alright, planets still safe." Volker said, looking over the kino footage. "You're good to go, Colonel."

"Alright Lieutenant." Colonel Young nodded and Scott started forwards.

"Lets move out people." The team consisted of Sergeant Greer, Lieutenant Johansen, Brody, Camille, Chloe and Eli. Eli though was totally against leaving the ship, overly paranoid something awful was going to happen.

 

 

The planet was nice. They'd been there several hours and had collected loads of supplies as well as whatever water they could even though Eli said they wouldn't need that much. Eli and Chloe were working through a grove of trees and bushes which had medicinal properties and fruit that they had determined was edible. Chloe had since stripped off her outer coat, since it had gotten to a comfortable 24 degrees on the planet but Eli refused to take his off, not wanting her to ask questions about the ace bandages which wrapped from his inner wrists to his elbows. Sweat dripped from his hairline, and Chloe could see him occasionally rub his arms as if something itched but never said anything.

 

An hour later, they'd all stopped for a break since the weather had grown uncomfortable, and everyone had stripped down to the bare minimum, which was t-shirts and trousers. Even Eli had finally taken off his outer jacket after much pestering from TJ, who threatened to send him back to the ship unless he took it off, something about heatstroke.

"What happened to your arms Eli?" Finally, Eli had been waiting almost an hour for someone to ask the question, especially since the bandages looked fresh rather than old and re-used.

"Uh, an accident." He muttered, not particularly wanting to elaborate but it was Greer who pushed farther.

"An accident?" He echoed. "Elaborate for us, please?" The question was so simple, one he should have been able to answer easy.

"It happened whilst you were in stasis so it doesn't matter." Eli snapped, effectively ending the conversation as TJ sat down next to him.

"At least let me look at them. Please?" Eli sighed, but agreed and held out his arms for TJ to look at. TJ sent the others a quick look, and they all dispersed, going back to their respective jobs as she began unravelling the bandages. Eli looked elsewhere, pretending not to hear the quiet sound of shock escape TJ's mouth.

"Eli, what happened?"

"I was exploring a damaged section of the ship and there was an electrical short." He told her hesitantly, looking over TJ's shoulder at the trees.

"Why didn't you tell me? You must have been in a lot of pain Eli." TJ said softly and Eli shrugged.

"I didn't want to burden you." TJ didn't say anything else, and once she'd finished bandaging his arms back up again he left, going back to collecting supplies.

 

  
Over the next few months, Eli's anxiety grew worse. Soon he was barely able to leave his room, electing to stay hidden away from people. Chloe's and Matthew's attempts to get him out of his room ended in arguments between Chloe and Eli, followed by her storming out and him sitting silently for like, an hour. In fact, Eli didn't talk to Chloe or Matthew until an accident that almost blinded him.

 

He blinked, trying to will away the sleepy feeling as he yawned, continuing to type into the console he'd been glued to for the past 6 hours without rest or eating. TJ had visited once, merely changing the bandages on his arms before disappearing again. After triple checking the code he was writing, he pressed the button he thought would input the command into the computer console. Apparently that wasn't the correct because the console sparked and made not normal sounds before it blew up in his face. He cried out as glass sprayed in every which way, hitting him in the face which knocked him back. He crumpled to the floor as Chloe and Matt rushed into the console room, having heard him cry out after an explosion that they were sure most of the ship heard.

"Eli!" Chloe gasped, crouching down beside him. Eli had his hands pressed against his face, and Chloe could see where the glass had showered him. "Get TJ."

"This is Scott, I have a medical emergency in the console room." Matt said into his radio.

"On my way Lieutenant." They heard the reply of TJ, and collectively sighed as Eli whimpered in pain.

"Eli what happened?" Chloe asked him as Matt surveyed the now charred control console Eli had used the whole time they were on the ship.

"I don't know." He let out between groans of pain, allowing Chloe to help him sit up. He moved his hands away from his face, groaning when he felt blood on his hands. "One minute I was entering code into the console next I'm on the floor with the feeling of my eyes having hot acid poured into them." He gritted his teeth as Matt crouched next to Chloe.

"Yeesh, that's gonna scar man." Matt told him.

"That's the least of my problems Matthew." Eli snapped, blinking rapidly as TJ rushed into the console room with Colonel Young behind him.

"What's going on?" Colonel Young asked Eli as TJ pulled out a flashlight from her pocket. She surveyed the damage of his face as Eli replied.

"I was coding on the console and it blew up." Eli bit out harshly. "But that's not the problem right now Colonel."

"You have some nasty burns around your eyes Eli." TJ told him. "Can you open your eyes for me." Eli complied, immediately taking note of TJ letting out a shocked gasp.

"What's wrong, is it bad?" Eli asked, his arm reaching out and latching onto Matt's sleeve when he noticed something. "The room isn't black, is it? The world hasn't suddenly gone dark because of not I can't see anything." His breathing sped up, and his once calm composure crumbled as his whole reality came crashing down on him. "Oh god."

 

He wasn't entirely sure where he'd ended up, but he knew the bed wasn't his because the room felt larger. He could feel the faint tug of stitches in several places on his face and arms, along with the scratchy material of bandages around his head which obscured his already almost black vision. TJ had told him he couldn't be left on his own, which left him in the very capable hands of Chloe and Matt, who seemed more than thrilled to try and reconcile their friendship.

"Eli?" He heard Matt say, and felt the bed dip beside him.

"Hey Matt." Eli mumbled, fiddling with the sleeve of his borrowed jacket since his hoodie and top had blood on it.

"How you doin?" He asked Eli and he turned his head in the direction of Matt and kept his lips straight.

"I assume I'm staring at you like you're a moron." Eli deadpanned and he heard Matt make a noise of acknowledgement.

"Yeah." He laughed awkwardly, followed by a quick silence before Eli spoke.

"What did TJ say about my eyes?" Eli asked curiously.

"She said you'll regain your sight within the next six months." Matt told him and he grinned in Matt's vague direction. "Only downside, it's never gonna be 20/20 again."

"It wasn't 20/20 to begin with." Eli muttered.

"But you don't have glasses." Matt observed with a frown that Eli couldn't see.

"They were in my room when General O'Neill had me beamed from my house." Matt chuckled, soon Eli joined in.

 

 

The next six months moved quickly and finally Eli could see more than 20ft in front of himself and walk without tripping over legit everything. Things had grown slightly odd with Chloe and Matthew, who were speaking more and more and spending more time with Eli than strictly necessary, but he wasn't going to complain since he was quite lonely and both of them help stave off his anxiety attacks long enough to get away from large crowds of people so he could calm down. His burns had healed and he got over his fear of the console and replaced the old one using the knowledge the ancients had given him, ignoring the looks Rush kept giving him as he was fixing it. It was around that time that he tentatively asked about the next off-world mission since he was itching for some fresh air and some space. Young had granted his request, and Rush filled him, Scott, Chloe and three other scientists - Brody, Volker and Park who's eyes were improving well - of the details of the planet. It was a sandy planet with possible lime and a water body that had some promising looking trees growing in a grove around the water.

 

Of course, the mission went to hell in a hand basket the minute they got separated from Greer, Volker, Brody and Park. The weather had picked up and the wind soon turned into rain and Eli, Matt and Chloe had to seek refuge in a sand cave whilst the others got through the gate. So right now, Eli was shivering as his head felt heavy. Chloe sighed again, who was pressed up against Matt, both wrapped tightly in a blanket whilst Eli had the other one.

"Come on Eli. Before you get hypothermia." She tried again, but Eli shook his head defiantly as he tugged the blanket closer to himself.

"This is why I hate off-world missions." He said angrily. "Why can't anything go right for me! I mean I don't even have social skills anymore thanks to the 3 years alone on a space ship! And then, I have done nothing but push everybody away despite them trying to help me!" Chloe and Matt exchanged a worried look.

"Eli." Chloe said forcefully, gaining Eli's attention. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have survived 3 years on the ship out of stasis! Now please, get yourself over here before you freeze to death."

"We could use the extra heat anyway." Matt added, and Eli relented. He shuffled over to Matt and Chloe, reluctantly curling up next to them. The rest of the night consisted of Chloe and Matt keeping Eli from having an anxiety attack whilst also trying to stave off hypothermia.

 

 

Having an anxiety attack is something Eli always found uncomfortable, especially when he finds himself unable to breath as his mind goes into overdrive whilst trying to explain something to Colonel Young. This one was particularly bad, as it ended with him passing out and waking in the infirmary with a blistering headache and blurry vision. It took 2 days for his vision to clear up, people were avoiding him because it looked like he was glaring at everyone when in reality he was just trying to see what he was doing. So, he'd finally agreed to go back to earth using the communication stones as long as he didn't have to do it alone. He was thankful when Matthew and Chloe immediately volunteered to go with him, and soon he found himself on earth. Eli walked up the steps towards his family home in the body of Marine Sergeant Rhodes. Behind him was Chloe, who was in the body of a female scientist, and Matt, who was in Colonel Telford's body. Eli knocked on the door, and he only had to wait a few seconds before his mother opened the door. She looked the same, if not a bit healthier than the last time he saw her.

"It's me, Mum." Eli said, Eli's mother gasping before grinning happily.

"Oh Eli." She readily invited them in after Mrs Wallace hugged her son tightly, and made a pot of coffee.

"How long have you been awake?" Mrs Wallace asked them once they were all sat down, drinking from the mugs.

"Uhm, 7 months, give or take." Matthew told her, and she gasped before looking at Eli.

"Why wait 7 months?"

"Because it hasn't been 7 months for Eli, Mrs Wallace." Chloe told her when Eli nodded his head. "When the plan was made and everybody but Eli, Colonel Young and Doctor Rush were in Stasis, one of the pods didn't go online. Eli volunteered to stay out of stasis because he was the only one with a chance to fix it."

"Only I wasn't able to fix it." Eli muttered bitterly, sipping from his mug delicately.

"I don't understand." Mrs Wallace said. "From what Sharon explained to me the ship was to be uninhabitable for 3 years so there was enough power to make the jump."

"I'm forbidden to disclose how I survived out of stasis." Eli suddenly said before Matthew or Chloe could say anything startling them.

"It's fine." Mrs Wallace assured them, turning to smile at her son. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Eli stayed and spoke with his mum for 2 more hours before they had to go back to the ship. The moment they returned to the ship, Eli excused himself and retreated to his quarters to mediate for a while, relaxing himself before he had to attend the meeting Colonel Young had made mandatory.

 

"So, I received some good news today." Young addressed the last group of officers and scientists who were sitting scattered around the mess hall. Eli was doodling on a scrap of paper, writing down numbers and letters and equations that nobody understood but him. "General O'Neill has found a planet which will enable them to send us supplies." Everyone clapped, seemingly thrilled while Eli remained silent. "Unfortunately there is still no way for us to return to earth, but now this will make our survival easier until we can all return. Thank you." Everyone dispersed, though Eli decided to remain in the mess hall since he had a feeling Chloe and Matt were going to want to talk to him.

"Eli? Can i have a moment?"

"Of course. What can i do for you?"

"I'd like you to join the next off world mission," Colonel Young said as he sat down in front of Eli, holding up a hand as he went to protest. "and before you protest, i think it would do you some good."

"With all due respect sir, i don't think it would."

"And why is that?"

"I wouldn't want to endanger anybody, or myself, not like last time."

"Well it isn't like last time Eli. And besides, i'm a little concerned for your mental health." Eli stared at Young for a moment before looking back down at his hands, messing with scrap of paper for a moment. When he looked up, his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Jacob standing behind Colonel Young.

"It has been realised that forcing you too keep this secret from your friends was the wrong choice. The council has given expressed permission for you to tell Colonel Young, Lieutenant Scott and Miss Armstrong. But they must swear to stay quiet about everything you tell them." Then Jacob was gone, and Colonel Young was staring at him curiously.

"I know that you've all been wondering how i survived staying out of stasis for 3 years." Eli said knowingly, startling the Colonel. The room was empty, and as far as Eli could tell so were the surrounding corridors.

"Of course we have." Young nodded. "It's nothing short of miraculous-"

"Actually it was because of the Ancients." Eli blurted out, cutting Young off. "I had just given up on ever fixing the stasis pod and i was sitting in the observation deck and i remembered something Rush had shown me once. A tape on Ascension. So i spent my last 2 weeks meditating, because i didn't have much else to loose. But on the day the life support was supposed to shut down, it didn't. And i had no idea why and i couldn't turn it off and then Jacob appeared. As it turned out the Ancients have been watching us, how we went about ourselves, our use of their technology and they were impressed by what we've accomplished in the short time we've been here. They fixed life support, as well as a number of systems that helped keep me alive for the 3 years you guys would be in stasis." Young openly gaped at Eli.

"Why didn't they repair the stasis pod?" Young asked once he'd processed what Eli had said.

"It was damaged beyond repair unfortunately." Eli muttered. "I spent most of the 3 years meditating and learning everything i could about this ship."

Eli spent almost an hour detailing to Colonel Young what had happened to him in the 3 years they were in stasis and he was alone. How he met ancients, how he was gifted knowledge he used to fix the ship, how he could ascend whenever he felt and would be accepted with open arms in the higher plains as they called them. Eli also explained how there was very few remaining ancients, that the Ori device had worked but had been turned on too early and had wiped out the milky-way ancients as well as the Ori galaxy ancients. All those that remained were the original creators of the destiny who followed her path and kept her alive, and the creators of the urbs-nave, or Atlantis. They had changed their ways upon realising their non-interference rule was getting innocent travellers killed and agreed to offer help to one or two others. Eli also sat down with Chloe and Matt and explained everything with them, swearing them to secrecy.

Their future was unknown to all of them, but all that mattered was Eli survived, and they still had their entire lives to live and new galaxies to explore on the Destiny, a sentient ship created by the Ancients - Alterrans as they preferred - and that was built around the same time the 7 great urbs-naves were built and the ancients left their home galaxy. The future was uncertain, but the past was true.


End file.
